movies/tv Is Pro-Wrestling Part Of Geek Culture?

[Denim&Venöm 18,009]

I'd normally post this in the wrestling thread, but I wanted to gauge the opinion of non-fans in this as well. 

I've noticed a trend of pro-wrestling cosplays at various conventions I've been to. Wrestling merch being sold at Hot Topic. Wrestling videos trending on YouTube. Wrestlers themselves being featured more in the gaming and movie side of things. I've seen a lot of pro-wrestling tees being worn in public, ranging from retro Macho Man Randy Savage T's to the nWo shirts of the 90s to the newest Bullet Club designs. Heck, I met wrestling fans wearing their merch proud at BronyCon. 

Wrestling has always occupied an odd place in entertainment as a live pseudo sport, whether it was Rock 'n wrestling golden age of the 80s or the Monday night wars of the late 90s, both being popular but ultimate dismissed by critics, the media and sports fans as a whole. But what if it's place wasn't as a sport or as the "soap opera for men"?

What if all this time it was meant to be a part of the broader geek culture alongside comics, anime, video games, sci-fi and high fantasy? With it's emphasis on long term stories and larger than life characters, does it make more sense for wrestling fans to be associated in the same bubble as MLP fans over say UFC fans? 

 

 

[Megas 27,477]

I'd say so, Back then they were really hard for for being taken seriously, being considered a sport and keeping kayfabe alive and seemingly real. Nowadays pro-wrestling seems to be fully aware of what it is and embraces it, especially with how fans are aware of how everything goes.

[Sparklefan1234 167,589]

Yes. Wrestling fans are even thought of as "geeks" by the wrestlers themselves. 

Edited August 6, 2019 by Sparklefan1234

[Prospekt 11,008]

I don't really watch wrestling, but I've talked about this to my twin cousins who are both massive WWE fans, and they think so. There's a good deal of overlap with other fandoms and it's treated not all that unlike comics... these wrestlers are doing their thing for years and participating in these storylines, cultivating larger than life personas that are pretty similar to characters in a movie series or a comic book. I see why some "geeks" happen to enjoy watching it.

[Patty Thundersnow 4,146]

It depends on your viewpoint on wrestling. I am a huge fan of pro wrestling, and have been for years. There's some overlap between 'geek' culture as well.